Jay White Talks Facing Okada At Wrestle Kingdom 13, Why Working With Bullet Club Is Easier
Jay White had an in-character interview with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and discussed his accomplishments in 2018, how he feels more comfortable in the Bullet Club as opposed to CHAOS, and his upcoming match at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 13 against Okada. Below are some highlights:
This past year's accomplishments:
"I think it's probably the best year anybody has ever had in wrestling. I don't think anybody had that kind of impact like I just did. The only thing that some people could compare to is maybe Okada when he came back in 2012. He did great things for himself, but I did great things for myself and for other people just as effects by things I was doing. For example, when I beat Kenny, that put all these things into motion that caused implosion of Bullet Club like I said it would happen. You know, Cody turned on him, Ibushi came out and saved him and reunited Golden Lovers.
"Things like that wouldn't have happened if I haven't come back and if I hadn't done things that I did. So that's an example of that. You know, Kenny wouldn't have got a belt from Okada if I hadn't joined CHAOS and started messing with Okada's head. So I've said a lot of times now I'm still waiting for Kenny to thank me for both of Golden Lovers reunion and his title reign. I beat Kenny Omega, I beat Hiroshi Tanahashi and I beat Kazuchika Okada all within maybe 6 or 7 months. You know, same year in 2018. So my credentials in 2018 speak for themselves. Proof is already right there for everybody to see.
"You know, the other thing as well, on top or Golden Lovers reuniting, we saw for the first time Tanahashi and Okada team together. Again, that was because of me. If I hadn't come back and done the things that I've done, those two wouldn't team together, you know. The fans are so excited about that so they can thank me as well even though they lost 7 in a row. We had a clean sweep on the tour, seven in a row. They still team together, so Golden Lovers reuniting and the supposed New Japan dream team of Tanahashi and Okada wouldn't have happened without me."
Expecting to become the center of New Japan after his return:
"Everyone has [expected to be the center of New Japan]. You should have that drive to go and be in that position. I know what I'm with, what I'm capable so of course I knew that I gotta be center of New Japan. And just like everything else, I always say what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna beat Kenny, destroy Bullet Club. Bullet Club was none at that time, not the 'Cutthroat Era' of now. Of course, I knew I was gonna do that, I knew I can do that, that's the whole idea. I don't just come in and just things don't accidentally happen. So very intentional for me."
Bullet Club being easier to work with than CHAOS:
"There were conflicting ideas in CHAOS. The way Okada thought things should be done conflicted with how I thought things should be done. In Bullet Club, we are all on the same page. We showed that in our matches. I don't think we've lost, I have never lost to anybody especially on the last tour. 7 win in a row against Okada and Tanahashi that shows we are on the same page. There's no conflicting idea.
"Before, in CHAOS things were falling apart. You had Yoshi-Hashi getting hit verbally by myself and Okada getting hit sometimes in matches, people colliding. We were on the different page. I had to go through the whole G1 Climax tour in those tag matches having YOH just not listen so he kept paying the price every single time. He just needed to listen to me. Bullet Club doesn't need to be told like CHAOS guys did because we are on the same page, we have the same ideas so everything happens very naturally and easily."
How he would like his match to play out at Wrestle Kingdom 13 against Kazuhika Okada:
"I want it to be me winning. That's it, you know. I mentioned it before, Kenny and Tanahashi have got so worried about how the fans think about all these ideas behind everything. People get too wrapped up around it. If Okada does think like that, then it's gonna cost him. I'm gonna beat him in many ways, but it would make it much easier for me. If he cares about fans?he said at press conference something about it. He feels like he needs to carry this match so I take it as he thinks that he's gonna beat me so easily that he needs to find a way to entertain these fans because he doesn't think that it's gonna be a competitive match. But it's so funny that he said that because, I don't know what he's basing that knowledge on. I beat him. I beat him before.
"I just keep repeating myself, the same noise is coming from my mouth. I always beat Okada in the ring every single time. The same thing is gonna happen again. So he worries about what the fans think, if the match is exciting for people. He's gotta lose again and I'm fine with that because it makes it much easier for me. I don't care about what people think of the match. What I care about is at the end of match in the ring, it's me standing tall, him lying on the ground, my hands held high. I will be the winner. That's what I care about. My message to Okada is make sure you focus on me, don't worry about the fans, what the fans think about you or what the fans think about your match. That's not what matters, it's gonna be me and him in the ring.
"He needs to focus on me. If he wants to stand a chance, he needs to stop overlooking me. That's my gift to him. You know, I shouldn't really give that away. It's gonna help his game plan because it hasn't been working since. So maybe he should listen to me and maybe, maybe he will make it past 10 minute mark with me. We'll see. That's my message to Okada. Focus on me. Nothing else. Don't overlook me because I'm gonna beat you again."
White also discussed more on Kazuchika Okada and turning heel. You can check out the full interview by clicking here. Wrestling Inc. will have live coverage of Wrestle Kingdom 13 on January 4 beginning at 2 am EST.